Just 21 games into the season, the Blue Jackets have already lost 115 man games to injury , and that number is going to continue to climb.
Friday afternoon, the team announced that forward Jakub Voracek has not been medically cleared to resume hockey activities since suffering a concussion after being hit with a high stick Nov. 4 against the Colorado Avalanche . Voracek was declared to be out indefinitely, and it now appears that he won't be returning anytime soon — if at all, based on the somber tone of general manager Jarmo Kekalainen's statement.
"Jake has had a number of head injuries during his career, and after the most recent was advised by doctors to take some time off to see if his ongoing symptoms subside to the point that will allow him to come back and play," Kekalainen said. "We don't expect a resolution in the near future and will give Jake as much time as he needs as his long-term health is the most important factor here."
Voracek played his 1,000th game last season, his first year back with the Blue Jackets after spending 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers . The Blue Jackets drafted Voracek with the No. 7 overall pick in 2007 and he spent his first three NHL seasons in Columbus before being traded to the Flyers, then returning to the Blue Jackets in a trade for Cam Atkinson during the 2021 draft.
Last season, he led the team with six goals and 56 assists for 62 points in 79 games. Prior to his concussion, Voracek had posted six points in 11 games this year.
Additionally, the team announced that both defensemen Jake Bean and Zach Werenski both underwent surgery to repair shoulder injuries. Werenski was injured Nov. 10 on an awkward fall into the boards and suffered both a torn labrum and a separated shoulder. He had surgery Nov. 29 and is expected to make a full recovery in six months.
Bean was injured a week after Werenski and was ruled to be out indefinitely with an undefined shoulder injury. Friday's announcement revealed he also suffered a torn labrum — the third this year for the Blue Jackets, after Justin Danforth and Werenski — and had surgery Nov. 23. His timeline for recovery is four to six months.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets injury update: Voracek concussion; Bean, Werenski surgery
